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Does prolonged breastfeeding adversely affect a child's nutritional status?
L A Brakohiapa1, J Yartey, A Bille
1Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra.
Insights
Prolonged breastfeeding beyond 19 months is linked to malnutrition in Ghanaian children. Weaning improved food intake in malnourished infants, suggesting 18 months as an optimal weaning age in developing nations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutrition Science
- Global Health
Background:
- Breastfeeding is crucial for infant nutrition, but prolonged duration may have adverse effects.
- Malnutrition remains a significant public health issue in many developing countries, including Ghana.
- Understanding optimal breastfeeding and weaning practices is essential for child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prolonged breastfeeding and malnutrition in Ghanaian children.
- To evaluate the impact of weaning on the dietary intake of malnourished children.
- To determine an appropriate weaning age for optimal nutrition in the study population.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 202 children attending a children's hospital in Accra, Ghana.
- Observational study involving 15 malnourished breastfed children in a rural community to assess weaning effects.
- Comparison of protein and energy intake between malnourished children (before and after weaning) and normal children.
Main Results:
- Breastfeeding beyond 19 months was associated with malnutrition in 202 children.
- Malnourished children's protein and energy intake was half that of normal children before weaning.
- Weaning led to increased food intake in 10 malnourished children, reaching levels of normal children; those who continued breastfeeding did not show improvement.
Conclusions:
- Prolonged breastfeeding can reduce total food intake, potentially leading to malnutrition.
- The findings suggest that approximately 18 months may be an appropriate age for weaning in Ghana and similar developing countries.
- Optimizing weaning practices is crucial for preventing and addressing childhood malnutrition in resource-limited settings.
Abstract:
In 202 children who visited a children's hospital in the city of Accra, Ghana, breastfeeding beyond the age of 19 months was found to be associated with malnutrition. The effect of weaning on food intake was then studied in 15 breastfed malnourished children in a rural community. Before weaning (complete cessation of breast-feeding) protein and energy intakes of all the malnourished children were about half those of 5 normal children. 10 of the malnourished children were weaned, and their intakes rose to the levels of the normal children; the 5 who continued breastfeeding maintained their low intakes. These results indicate that prolonged breastfeeding can reduce total food intake and thus predispose to malnutrition. They also suggest that in Ghana and other developing countries the proper weaning age may be about 18 months.